I would suspect overheating, but making sure that the heat bulb was not teflon coated would be good. We have cases where an electrician replaced his wife’s burned out heat bulb with one off his truck, and it killed all of their chicks.
It sounded like the orginal chicks might have been too hot since they were older chicks. You have to use a thermometer on the floor under the light. Baby chicks in the first week may tolerate 90-95, but a 2 week old will get too hot. Temps should be decreased 5 degrees per week. There has to be enough room in a cooler area to go to if overheated. Mixing chicks of different ages and sources can risk coccidiosis, and some getting too hot or cold. Plastic containers are not very good brooders and besides not having enough room, they overheat and have poor air circulation.
That said, it seems to me that when chicks spend more than a day in amfeed store, they risk pasty putt and may not be able to get enough to drink. Some use nipple waterers that small chicks cannot reach, and regular drinkers fill up with pine shavings. While some feed stores give good care, while other ignore pasty butt and don’t notice empty waterers. Very sorry for yoir loss.
It sounded like the orginal chicks might have been too hot since they were older chicks. You have to use a thermometer on the floor under the light. Baby chicks in the first week may tolerate 90-95, but a 2 week old will get too hot. Temps should be decreased 5 degrees per week. There has to be enough room in a cooler area to go to if overheated. Mixing chicks of different ages and sources can risk coccidiosis, and some getting too hot or cold. Plastic containers are not very good brooders and besides not having enough room, they overheat and have poor air circulation.
That said, it seems to me that when chicks spend more than a day in amfeed store, they risk pasty putt and may not be able to get enough to drink. Some use nipple waterers that small chicks cannot reach, and regular drinkers fill up with pine shavings. While some feed stores give good care, while other ignore pasty butt and don’t notice empty waterers. Very sorry for yoir loss.
